Ancient DNA Shows Cats Domesticated Themselves – Why Are We Not Surprised?

Good News Network ^ | March 5, 2021 | Andy Corbley

[C19fan]

omestication of animals was an amazing feat that changed human relationships with the natural world.

But while a Pomeranian looks nothing like a wolf, a thoroughbred jump horse looks nothing like a wild pony, and a potbellied pig looks nothing like a black boar, ‘domestic’ house cats look pretty much exactly like wild cats.

That’s because they domesticated themselves—not through form, but through function, and research reveals that wildcat ancestors share essentially the same genetics as house cats today.

[Prole]

Hawks and other birds of prey are known to target cats. I keep mine indoors for this reason, among others.

[Rurudyne]

Did you ever see the movie Crazy People?

Sony: Because Caucasians are Too Damn Tall

[piasa]

Compare a spider monkey to Michael Moore...

[verum ago]

Because these species of animals were bred specifically to bring out their current appearances and dispositions. You'd think someone writing an article on the subject might know that much. And there are many different breeds of domestic cats. They are much smaller than wild cats. Can the author guess why nobody wanted to live indoors with a cougar?



A cougar is a “big cat.” There are also “small” wild cats. The above is an African Wildcat, not a domestic cat. So I would say the author is right- if that cat walked past your window, would you think it was a wild species from another continent, or just a stray domestic..?

[MHGinTN]

The cats are in this info video. Gangs of cats! http://wklondon.com/work/cats-with-thumbs/

[monkeyshine]

if that cat walked past your window, would you think it was a wild species from another continent, or just a stray domestic..?

Well, now I will say "that cat sure has strayed a long way!"

[monkeyshine]

Humor aside, I'd say the same thing I wrote about dogs, and breeding in general. Others made the same points. Very few would want to hang out with a large cat. A small wild cat has a better chance of being allowed to domesticate as it poses little real threat to humans and does contribute to domestic development - killing off rodents etc - and also it can hide better. If that cat saw you it would run, but if you saw a leopard you would run (but perhaps not very far). I assume various civilizations would hunt down and chase away the large carts, and not fear the small ones.

[HP8753]

So the first crazy cat lady farmer was probably an older Neanderthal lady.

[odawg]

rats human codependent species?

The fields and forests are full of them.

[MHGinTN]

Better edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GSuH6LYMho

[ZULU]

Check out extinct cave lions and the extinct South American Saber tooth. Biggest yet

[MHGinTN]

I can imagine Bella leading such a crew! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GSuH6LYMho

[Axenolith]

Those will eliminate the raccoon and garbage can problem in an evening (got a picture of one doing same right off a buddies back porch).

[Magnatron]

All this time I thought it was just Democrats I had to be worried about...

[Axenolith]

The cougars, cheetas and house cats are in a different subfamily than the lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars. Felinae vs Pantherinae. So there’s a larger speciation/type gap over their size differences.

At one time there may have been as many as 4-6 different tool using hominid species on the planet at once, but given our general nature in our current technological state, that was probably pretty brief in any situation where they abutted each other on contiguous territory.

[Axenolith]

We could call them... Epsilons...

[Viking2002]

Yep. Cats are four-legged, opportunistic little barbarians who hold their betters in only marginal esteem. And only when they need their bowls filled or their litter boxes emptied.

We have five. *chuckle*

[SouthernClaire]

Too funny! I was just watching her “whoop up” on a little stuffed toy I bought for her when I got her. They were about the same size. She tosses it in the air and then stands up, back feet as far apart as she can get them, claws out, and ...

MISS!

Ha, ha.

[wildcard_redneck]

The only reason the cretins that rule the world haven’t tried to breed a tiny human slave race is their other option is to uplift monkeys, but they cannot decide between the two.

[mrsmith]

https://twitter.com/archer_rs/status/1367130535852662792

LOL!
train delayed in UK... because a cat is sitting on top. With pic.